Swinging gate



(MWL) J. E. GQPBLAND & J. A. NBSMITH.

SWINGING GATE. No. 564,870. Patented July 28,' 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES EDVARD COPELAND, OF ROUND HILL, AAND JOSEPH ADDISON NESMITH, OF PAXSON, VIRGINIA.-

sWlNolNo GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 564,`870, dated July 28, 1896.

Application filed May 20,1896. Serial No. 592,266. (No model.)

To all whom it may con/cern.: There is a vertical slot h in the guide near o Beit known that we, JAMES EDWARD COPE- LAND, of Round Hill, and JOSEPH ADDISON NESMITH, of Paxson, in the county of Loudoun, State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Swinging Gates, of which the following is a specification.

We have combined with the swinging gate and the latch thereof a device having the several functions of a prop to hold the gate in open position, to weight the latch, to hold the prop out of the way when serving as such weight, and to look the latch when the gate is closed, and for these purposes the prop is pivoted to the latch and adapted to engage a keeper or guide at the top of the gate, having a series of slots into which the prop is engaged as may be desired to hold the gate or to lock the latch, or to leave the latch for the free opening and closing of the gate.

The accompanying drawings show, in Figure l, the gate with the prop device set to allow the free opening and closing of the gate. Fig. 2 shows the gate with the prop device in the position it is set to lock the latch, and Fig. 3 shows the gate with the prop device in *the position it occupies to hold the gate open.

The swinging gate has the Ordinary pivoted latch-bar a, working in a keeper b on the gate and with the post-catch c. To the middle of the length of the latch-bar is pivoted a bar d, which extends from the bottom and terminates above the gate. It is pointed at its lower end and is retained in' position against the side of the gate by horizontal keepers or guides e at the top and bottom of the gate, within which the bar can be vibrated lengthwise of the gate to a position inclined on either side of its pivot.

The keepers or guides may be boards or they may be formed of wire'and the top keeper or guide has a mediate vertical slot f with which a pin g on the pivoted bar is engaged when the bar is used to prop the gate open, and for this purpose the slot is deep enough to allow the pointed end of the bar to be driven and anchored into the ground, the keeper of the latch allowing it to descend with the bar.

the free end of the gate, with which the barpin is engaged to hold the bar in an inclined position to weight the latch, so that the gate is free to be opened and'closed, and this slot is only deep enough to allow thelatch to Work with the post-catch and when the gate is open both the bar and the latch are supported in this slot by the bar-pin to hold the bar above the ground and the latch free to rise and fall Vin working with the post-catch. On the other Side of the mediate slot is a third Slot t', which stands inclined toward the free end of the gate and with which inclined slot the bar-pin is engaged to lock the latch when the gate is closed, the inclination' of the slot preventing the pivoted bar from rising and holding the latch engaged with the post-catch.

The upper keeper or guide may be formed of bent wire, as shown in Fig. 3, the wire being bent so that the slots are open at their upper ends.

The pivoted bar-pin may have a rolling sleeve, the easier to move over the keeper or guide. The keeper bfor the latch is adapted to allow the latch freedom to descend with the bar in anchoring it in the ground.

The pivoting of the prop-bar to the latch-barv allows the former to be set and held in three different positions for the purposes stated and gives the advantage of using the latch-bar as the means of anchoring the prop and of raising Y it as may be desired. f

We claim as our improvementl. In a Swinging gate, the combination with the gate and a pivoted latch-bar therefor, of a pointed bar pivoted to said latch-bar and a guide or keeper fixed at the top of the gate for said pointed bar, having vertical slots for engagement with a pin on said pointed bar whereby the said pointed bar is adapted and as a weight to the latch.

2. In a swinging gate, the combination with the gate and a pivoted latch-bar therefor, of a pointed bar pivoted to said latch-bar and having a pin, and a guide or keeper fixed at the top of the gate having vertical and invclined slots with which said pointed bar-pin is caused to engage in the Way and for the allow said pointed bar to be forced into the purposes stated. ground When the gate is open.

3. In a swinging gate, the oombnatonwith JAMES EDWARD COPELAND. the oate and a pwoted latch-bar therefor of 1 5 a ponted bar pivoted to said latch-bar and JOSEPH ADDISON NESMH H' having a pin and a guide or keeper xed at Witnesses: the top of the gatehaving avertoal slot Wth- W. B. CHAMBLIN,

in which said bar-pin is caused to engage to J. B. LACEY. 

